Catheter guide wire especially for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Abstract

A catheter guide wire, especially for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, comprises an elongated wire shaft of a flexible material having a proximal and a distal end and disposed on the wire shaft at least one radiopaque, sleeve-like marker adjacent to the distal end. The at least one marker is disposed on a core section of the wire shaft, said core section being widened in its diameter relative to the diameter of the adjoining shaft sections.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to a catheter guide wire, especially for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA).BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Catheter guide wires of a known type have an elongated wire shaft of a flexible material with a proximal and a distal end. In the distal end area, one or more radiopaque, sleeve-like markers are disposed on the wire shaft, which have essentially two functions. On one hand, the position of the guide wire tip must be easily visible on an x-ray monitor—for example by means of an elongated marker coil directly at the distal end of the guide wire—while the catheter is being applied. On the other hand, a length measurement of a stenosis to be treated can be performed on the X-ray monitor, for example, with the aid of multiple markers that are equidistantly spaced adjacent to the distal end.[0003]Guide wires of this type are known in their fundamental design from a multitude of printed publications. U.S. Pat. No. 5...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is about a catheter guide wire used for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) that has markers at its distal end to help with X-ray monitoring during the procedure. The problem with existing guide wires is that the markers need to be mounted on the smallest possible wire shaft diameter to keep the contrast in the X-ray image at a suitable level, but this often causes bending issues and notch breakage. The invention proposes a solution by providing markers on a core section that is widened in its diameter relative to the adjoining shaft sections, allowing for a larger diameter of the markers without interfering with the bending behavior of the wire. The markers are secured in place using a solder bed that tapers off at its two ends in a frusto-conical ramp. This prevents sharp inner corners and edges that could cause injuries to the vessel wall during the insertion process. The guide wire has a flexible wire shaft that can bend smoothly in narrow points and bends in the vasculature being targeted, and the markers are positioned on the wire shaft to facilitate the measurement of stenoses. The invention also provides a ratio for the wire shaft and markers to prevent interfering edges and improve the flexibility of the guide wire.

Problems solved by technology

Catheter guide wires of this type pose the problem that the wire, especially at its distal end, needs to be as flexible as possible on one hand in order to ensure the most atraumatic insertion of the wire into coronary vessels, and in the process a smooth passage through narrow points and bends in the vasculature being targeted; on the other hand, the markers that are used to identify the guide wire in the case of an X-ray monitoring during the performance of a PTCA, require a certain material volume in order to keep the achievable contrast in the X-ray image at a suitable level.

Sharp inner corners would eventually lead to an increased susceptibility of the wire shaft to notch breakage.

In this respect no interfering edges result on the product, especially after the grinding and polishing of such a guide wire with marker, which could cause injuries to the vessel wall—so-called “dissections”—while the wire is being inserted.

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